Fire apparatus.



K; P. ROWE.

FIRE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1908.

921.284. Patented May 11, 1909.

FANT @FFTQFL.

KENNETH P. ROWE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH P. Rown, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York city, New York, have invented a new and useful Improve-- ment in Fire Apparatus, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to fire-apparatus comprising a set of buckets nested in one another within a tank filled with water or other fire-extinguishing liquid. In such bucket and-tank apparatus it is essential that the buckets can be instantly removed, without the slightest delay; that the buckets stand filled, ready for instant use; that the handle or bail of each bucket shall be in position for instant grasping by the attendant; that the evaporation of the water or other liquid be prevented; and that there be no tendency to rusting or corrosion of the metallic parts which might cause the nested. buckets to adhere one to another or to the tank that contains them. In the next place, it is, desirable that the buckets may be readily inserted in place and centerec and that the column of nested buckets be maintained in its proper vertical alinement against any tendency to topple over. This latter is particularly necessary in case the bucket-andtank apparatus be employed on ship-board where the tilting of the deck tends to cause the pile of buckets to topple and become disarranged.

The object of my invention is to obtain the results above indicated.

The invention consists firstly, of spacingrests carried by each bucket to support the next bucket in the series, which rests are so constructed and arranged as to act as centering devices for guiding the next bucket into position and for maintaining it level; secondly, in means for guiding the lowermost bucket into its position centrally of the tank, and for maintaining it there; thirdly, in means for maintaining the uppermost bucket in proper vertical alinement; and, fourthly, in a novelconstruction of the cover of the tank, which preferably comprises the upper alining-means last referred to.

The invention consists further in combinations of two or more ofthe foregoing fea tures; and in the various details of construction and arrangement hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings annexed here- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 11, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Serial No. 452,589.

to that illustrate preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a tank, with its cover, containing six nested buckets; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a cage constituting a preferred device for centering and maintaining the lower bucket; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bucket containing three of the spacing-rests referred to; Fig. 4 is a detail of a preferred form of spacing-rest and Fig. 5 is a detail of the cover.

1 represents the tank. 2 is its cover, hinged thereto in any convenient manner, and provided with a suitable latch if desired.

3, 3 3 represent the buckets, here shown as six in number.

Upon the floor of the tank rests a ring (or annular plate) of metal 4, whose diameter is substantially that of the bottom of the buckets 3. 5 is a larger metal ring fitting snugly within the top of tank 1. Substantiallyvertical rods 6 connectthe two rings 4 and 5. These rods are shown as three in number. Each of these rods has an inclined off-set 7, above which they extend as shown, to the upper ring 5; while below this off-set (at 8) they incline inwardly parallel to the flare of bucket 3, so as to provide a cage within which the bucket fits easily. A bucket may be dropped hap-hazard into the tank, and the inclines 7 and 8 will guide it into the proper position, and then maintain it there.

9 represents the handle or bail, indicated as secured to the bucket by cars 10 (this construction being set forth in Rowes U. S. Patent No. 875,289, dated Dec. 31, 1907.)

The off-sets 7 in the rods 6 leave room for the bails 9. This cage (formed of the rods and rings) may be used interchangeably in different tanks. Instead of ring 4, a solid plate or disk may connect the bottom of the rods 6; and, indeed, instead of the cage I I may provide upon the floor of the tank, merely a circular rib or other centering device for the bottom of the lower bucket 3.

Inside each bucket 3-3 etc. and near the bottom thereof, are the spacing-rests 11, here shown as three in number. These rests differ in construction and in function from the somewhat similar rests shown in Leonards U. S. Patent No. 498,937 (dated June 6, 1893). My novel rests are shown as formed each of a strip of metal bent into the form of a V and having the wings l212 for securing it to the bucket 3 and with its middle, or V-portion, cut away to present the inclined edges 1313, and the horizontal edges 14-14. The inclines act as guides for centering the next upper bucket, the outer rim of whose bottom rests upon edges 14 and fits into the angles formed by the respective meeting-edgeslfi and 14. That is, these angles 15 all lie in the same horizon tal plane, and in a circle equal in diameter to the bottom of the bucket. If a biicket as 3 be placed without any particular care into another bucket 3 of the series, the inclined faces 13 will guide it into the proper central position upon the seats 14, while angles 15 hold it out of contact with the lower bucket 3, so that there is little or no tendency for any two buckets to become co roded together. Instead of forming the spacingrests of sheet metal as shown, they may be of any other construction so long as at least three fixed points of support are provided, together with inclines for guiding the bottom of another bucket to the seats and maintaining it there.

The cover 2 of the tank is shown as punched up of a single sheet of metal in such manner as to provide the crown 16 and a substantially horizontal flange 17 whose outer end is slightly inturned as at 18 and in the recess thus formed is located a gasket 19, of rubber or the like, adapted to rest upon the rim 20 of the tank. 21 is a collar or band of metal secured within the crown and depending into the mouth of the tank. It will be noticed that the pocket or cavity containing the gasket 19 opens downwardly, so there is no chance to retain any moisture. The collar 21 may extend straight down, as in the cover of an ordinary tin bucket; but preferably it converges, funnel-wise, downwardly and inwardly, as at 22, to fit snugly within the top of the uppermost bucket 3". Instead of this funnel-like arrangement, a boss or other depending device may be secured within the cover 2 to engage the top of the uppermost bucket 3 and maintain the vertical alinement of the nested buckets.

There is considerable contact surface between the gasket 19 and the rim 20 of the tank (the two being preferably some fifteen inches in diameter), so that after the device has stood unused for a long while, they are liable to stick together; and, at last, when the cover is lifted there is danger of the gasket adhering to the rim and leaving its proper seat. To prevent this, I provide the gasket with a plurality of inwardly-disposed lugs 23, that extend through suitable slots in the metal collar 21. If desired, a pin 24 or other device may be employed as a positive fastener, or the tightness of the fit with lugs 23 may be relied on.

By reason of the cage (consisting of the rods 6 etc.) or its equivalent, the spacingrests 11, and the upper device 22, the buckets are readily and properly positioned; they are maintained securely with their bottoms in a horizontal position or leveled and with the buckets themselves in vertical alinement without any danger of toppling; their handles are permitted to lie in position for instant grasping when necessary; and there is the minimum of contact of metal upon metal, and the minimum chance of buckets corroding together. While the construction and arrangement of the gasket renders the device always ready.

Parts of my invention may be employed to the exclusion of other parts, and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts, without in any case departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a bucket-and-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank and the nested buckets, of centering-means for positioning the lowermost bucket within the tank, other centering-means for positioning and leveling each bucket within the next lower one, and further means carried by the cover of the tank for maintaining the topmost bucket in alinement. V

2. In a bucket-andtank apparatus, the combination with the tank and the nested buckets, of centeringuneans for positioning the lowermost bucket at any axial position within the tank, and other centering-means for positioning and leveling each bucket at any axial position within the next lower one.

3. In a bucket-and-tankapparatus, the combination with the tank and the nested buckets, of centering-means for positioning and leveling each bucket within the next lower one, and means carried by the cover for maintaining the topmost bucket in alinement.

4. In a bucket-and-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank and the buckets nested therein, of centering-means for positioning the lowermost bucket, and means carried by the cover for maintaining the topmost bucket in alinement.

5. In a bucket-andtank apparatus, the herein-described spacing-rests consisting of three or more seats secured on the inner side of each bucket in the same horizontal plane, each seat having a horizontal portion an d an outwardly-inclined portion leading upward therefor-m to the wall of the bucket, the several angles formed by the said portions outlining a circle of the same diameter as the bottom of said bucket.

6. The combination with a fire-bucket, of a spacing-rest therein consisting of a \I shaped strip of metal secured thereto and having the \i-shaped portion cut away to provide inclined edges and horizontal edges meeting at an angle.

7. The combination with a bucket-andtank apparatus, of a detachable and interchangeable bucket-cage comprising a plurality of substantially-vertioal rods held in fixed position at their tops and bottoms.

8. In a bucketand-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank, of a bucket-cage located within the tank and comprising a plurality of substantially-vertical rods Whose upper ends are held in position against the upper part of the tank and whose lower ends incline inwardly to form a bucket-seat.

9. In a bucket-and-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank, of a cover therefor having a depending flange converging inwardly, whereby the top of the uppermost of a series of nested buckets may be engaged.

10.111 a bucket-and-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank, of a cover therefor having its lower end flanged outwardly and then inwardly to form a seat, a collar se- E cured within said cover and converging downwardly and inwardly whereby the top of the up ermost of a series of nested buckets may he engaged and a gasket held between said fiange and said collar to rest upon the rim of the tank.

11. In a bucket-and-tank apparatus, the combination with the tank, of a cover there for having a downwardly-opening seat opposite the rim of the tank, and a gasket of rubber or the like located in said seat and having holding-ears engaging said cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KENNETH P. ROWE. Witnesses A. L. MAssIE, RALPH L. Soorr. 

